Why are you in business? You might answer, “For money!” You might say you want a fulfilling career. Maybe you’d like to have a better life for you and your family, or a schedule that you set by your own rules.
You might even say you’re in business to achieve your dreams. But did you ever stop to think that your business might be helping someone else achieve their dreams?
It’s easy to lose sight of that concept, especially when you’re working hard to reach your own goals. But everyone has dreams, and it’s important to remember the role you play in the dreams of others.
Everybody Has A Dream
Helping the dreams of others come true is a pretty big responsibility. Your clients trust you with their project, but they also trust you with something far more precious. They trust you to handle their vision with care and attention.
Their vision may be a little ragged around the edges. They may not know how to express what they want in the specifics writers and designers need. They may splatter out ideas, subconsciously asking for guidance. They may want something so badly they can’t put it in words.
As a writer, a designer, a marketer, your job involves taking the time and having the patience to unravel the tangles of the client’s dream to bring focus to the project.
It’s a tough job, but when the tangles finally unsnarl, the picture becomes sharper, the path opens up and the way is clear.
Communicating the Dream with Honesty
One of the biggest problems that occur when clients have dreams they really care about is that they have trouble telling their service provider how they feel.
Sometimes, you’ll need patience to go through multiple revisions and get closer to that dream and vision. It may feel like the client is being picky, but that’s not what’s happening.
Clients with dreams are just afraid. They’re putting themselves out there. Their dreams are in your hands. They’re unsure. So they hem and haw, and they have trouble saying, “This isn’t what I wanted. Can we take another shot?”
Some clients might feel that the sample or draft you sent are all they have to choose from. They may feel that’s it, that they need to settle.
Let your clients know that it’s okay for them to say they hate what you’ve done. Tell them openly that they can completely reject what you’ve presented. That’s why revision policies are there – to give clients a chance to give you feedback and say that what you’ve done isn’t what they were looking for.
And that’s okay. Accept that your work may not match the vision of a dream. Be prepared to give it another shot with an open mind.
You’re the expert. Work with your clients, and help them along to reach their goals. Guide them gently, explain the process along the way, and help them find clarity so they can reach their dreams.
Power Tools
We all need tools to build our dreams. Building a dream house takes a hammer and a saw. It takes someone to cut the lumber and forge the nails. It takes an electrician and a plumber.
Look at your business in the same light, as one of the tools to help people achieve what they want. Treat each project with the respect and care it deserves because you may be working on helping someone build their dream.
